If you think I’m overstating the problem then you don’t fully appreciate the danger of our times.
The purpose of all prophetic speaking is to reveal Christ – to bring Him more clearly into view. Those inspired to speak or proclaim something by the Holy Spirit should be helping to direct our attention onto Christ and away from everything that distracts us. The prophetic voice should rise up like a trumpet to bring clarity and direction out of confusion and misunderstanding. It is not just truth stated in an inspirational way, it is the truth concerning Jesus spoken by those who know Him and can lead others to Him.
But of all things, the “prophetic ministry” today does more to distract us from Jesus than to tell us the truth concerning Jesus. In fact, it is difficult to find Jesus at all in most of what is touted today as “prophetic.”
So what is the prophetic ministry as God intends it to be? What is a prophet? What do prophets do? Do they have a place in our generation? If so, what?
To answer these questions, we begin with a thorough examination of the prophetic ministry to determine whether or not it is valid for us today; then, what the prophetic ministry is not, what it is, and some general and specific requirements of prophets.
From there, we explore the hidden work of prayer, fasting, and ministering to the Lord as fundamental functions of the prophetic calling to give the reader a better sense for the depth of relationship required of someone called to this particular role.
Finally, we look at the responsibility of the prophetic ministry to safeguard and uphold the Testimony of Jesus in the Earth. We conclude with some sobering warnings of what we can expect in days to come, as well as some positive steps we can take right now to better prepare God’s people for spiritual conflict in the Last Days.
These ideas may seem far removed from the popular concept of what the prophetic ministry is. They certainly seem disconnected from what is commonly accepted (and what passes for) “prophetic ministry.” I hope to elevate the discussion beyond the subjective, personal realm and provide a perspective that can only be obtained by rising above what is popular and common in order to embrace what is true.
This book is dedicated to the restoration and encouragement of the Christ-centered, Spirit-led prophetic calling to ensure that the next generation will still have a pure testimony of the truth concerning Jesus.
